- Planning authority
- London Borough of Harrow
- Postcodes
- HA1, HA2, HA3, HA5, HA7
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 38°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.3 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Greater London
What shapes a plot in Harrow
Look along your road and the roads behind it. If homes in Harrow or in Bushey, Brent and Watford already stand behind the original houses, that shows the council the pattern exists locally, although it never makes a new permission certain. Where back gardens are unbroken, a first home behind the street faces closer scrutiny.
How much weight that carries is set out in the council’s Local Plan and in any design guide adopted by the London Borough of Harrow. We read both before drawing anything, so your scheme answers the questions the planning officer is likely to ask.
What happens next in Harrow
Send us your address in Harrow and a rough idea of what you’d like. We check the planning history around you and the policies the London Borough of Harrow applies, and look for anything in the title that could get in the way. If the garden passes those checks, we arrange a visit at a time that suits you and explain each route in plain terms.
Free plot appraisal
We look at your garden using maps, the title plan and the planning history around you, then talk it through with you. If it looks workable we arrange a site visit. There’s no cost and no obligation.
Measure and test the layout
We check depth, the width of the way in, levels, trees, drains and what lies behind, then sketch what could realistically fit: one home, two, or nothing worth pursuing, before anyone pays for an application.
Planning application
We prepare the drawings and reports, usually take pre-application advice, and submit. The council consults neighbours and decides. Small schemes often take a few months from submission, longer if surveys or amendments are needed.
Sale or build
If you sell, your solicitor handles the transfer of part and your lender’s release of the plot. If you build, we give a written quote after design and survey, then build and hand over the new home.
Worth checking early
- A covenant, a mortgage, a public sewer or a protected tree can slow a scheme down or stop it altogether.
- Cars passing beside your house to reach the new home bring noise and headlights; screening helps but doesn’t remove it.
- Surveys and drawings cost money before any decision. On a subject-to-planning sale we normally fund them; on a build you do.
Harrow: questions to ask
Does it cost anything to have my Harrow garden looked at?
No. The garden plot appraisal is free and carries no obligation. It starts with a desktop check and a conversation, and we arrange a site visit if your garden looks viable. You only commit to anything once you’ve chosen a route and seen the terms in writing.
Will my neighbours in Harrow get a say?
Yes. The council consults neighbours on planning applications, and they can comment or object. Their comments are weighed alongside policy, but objections alone don’t decide the outcome. A layout that respects privacy, light and access usually gives neighbours less to worry about, so we design with them in mind.
How long does planning take for a garden home in Harrow?
It varies. Small schemes often take a few months from submission to decision, and longer if surveys, amendments or extra consultation are needed. Pre-application advice and early surveys add time at the start but can save time later. We won’t promise a date, because the council sets the pace.
Can you build a home for my family in my garden in Harrow?
Yes. If you keep the land, we can design the home, apply for planning permission, build it once permission is granted and arrange the structural warranty lenders usually expect. You receive a written quote after design and survey. If the home is for a relative who will share your kitchen and front door, an annexe may suit better.
Other options in Harrow
- Build a home for family in your garden
- Combine gardens with your neighbours
- Build a new home in your garden
- Planning promotion for your garden plot
- Joint venture on your garden plot
- Planning permission for a garden plot